By-elections can produce unexpected results. While they are important snapshots of the political mood of an electorate at a certain point in time, the results can be poor indicators of outcomes of future general elections.

Alternatively, the Calgary-Greenway by-election is a must-win for the PC Party, which has dropped down to eight MLAs from 70 MLAs before the 2015 election. PC candidate Prab Gill needs to retain this by-election to signal his party will continue to be a viable alternative to the NDP.

A win by the PC Party would also throw a wrench into the plans of the official opposition Wildrose Party, which has been aggressively attacking the new NDP government since it took office less than a year ago. A Wildrose win might be a final nail in the coffin of the PC Party.

9 thoughts on “Expect the unexpected in the Calgary-Greenway by-election”

I would suggest that a tight win by the PCs ( by 100 / 200 votes sort of thing), with the NDs in second and the WR in third, would actually boost the move to unite the right. So I would suggest the type of win by the PCs would be an important thing to consider and watch.

Liam, given the basic fact that the Alberta PC’s, other than Peter Lougheed goverened extremely badly and did one very costly scandal after another, and left us with virtually nothing to show for all our wealth, why would it be a good idea to allow them to get their foot in the door and do more damage?

How can you state that the WR have a poor track record when the WR have never formed government? Are you referring to the WR’s track record as official opposition? Many people believe that the WR has been the most effective official opposition in over fourty years.

HAHAHAHA. The Wildrose are the most ideological and negative group ever elected to the Legislature. God help us if Derek Fildebrandt and his friend Preston Manning are allowed to govern Alberta. Mass layoffs, closed schools and hospitals, and mass migration out of province is what we will have if the Wildrose Party ever forms government in Alberta.

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In addition, my thoughts and opinions change from time to time. I consider this a necessary consequence of having an open mind. This blog is intended to provide a semi-permanent point in time snapshot and manifestation of the various ideas running around my brain, and as such any thoughts and opinions expressed within out-of-date posts may not the same, nor even similar, to those I may hold today.